Thinking on removing my sand

[renato120]

I have a 34g sps dominated reef tank. Im thinking about in remove all my sand. Its a shallow tank, sps requires more flow... everytime I try it disturbs the sand bed... would it be a problem if I remove the sand bed. The tank has been running for 2 years.
If I remove the sand bed, is there any chance of an algae outbreak?
Show me your tank with no sand bed! Please!

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Based on picture the sand bed does not look very deep. As long as it is not a 'deep sand bed' then I don't see you having significant issues by removing it. Personally I love the look of sand and would not consider removing. That being said, everyone I know that removed their sand did not regret it.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

If its as shallow as it looks then no problemo.

If its a little deeper you can remove something like a 1/4 every week until its gone.

 

[renato120]

If its as shallow as it looks then no problemo.

If its a little deeper you can remove something like a 1/4 every week until its gone.

Its 12 inches high. I was thinking on removing it everytime I do a water change. I can syphon the sand slowly with a hose.

 

[rockstarta78]

It's a shallow sand bed. I think you'll be fine. If you are worried about algae outbreak, you could go slow. Take out 1/3 every week.

 

[reefwiser]

An yes you will have an algae issue. If you want to do this do it extremely slowly. My current tank is as en example I had to remove the sand due to aptasia Getting into he sand and I could not get them out with out removing the sand. This ended up causing Dino’s which I have been dealing with now for 6 months. I have also over the last 30 years on forums I have seen this go badly. I did it slowly but still had problems. Oh an I still kill aptasia’s daily.

 

[Elegance Coral]

You should have no problem with algae due to removing that sand bed.

Friends tank with just coraline on the bottom.

My 300 in my fish room with mirror bottom

 

[reefwiser]

34 gallons way different than 300 gallons.

 

[renato120]

An yes you will have an algae issue. If you want to do this do it extremely slowly. My current tank is as en example I had to remove the sand due to aptasia Getting into he sand and I could not get them out with out removing the sand. This ended up causing Dino’s which I have been dealing with now for 6 months. I have also over the last 30 years on forums I have seen this go badly. I did it slowly but still had problems. Oh an I still kill aptasia’s daily.

Im afraid of dinos! Not much of an algae outbreak.

 

[reefwiser]

Yes that is what I have been battling this year. Just had a SPS coral purge from a Dino flare up that I am beating back down. I hate my small reef tank but I have a new very large tank coming in 448 days when I retire every time I cry about it my wife says not now. Its the water volume I plan on have a very large sump to go with my new tank too.

 

[Elegance Coral]

There's no reason you should develop an algae outbreak due to removing a sand bed. If you develop an algae problem, it will be due to something else you're doing wrong. Especially, if you have to battle it for six months.
Yes, smaller tanks can be more work to maintain than larger tanks, but removing the sand bed makes them easier to maintain. Not harder. That's why many people go BB in the first place.

 

[AlexStinson]

I pulled out my sand, algae/cyano issues disappeared. That's my experience. I will go with sand on my new tank just because I like the look.

 

[renato120]

I pulled out my sand, algae/cyano issues disappeared. That's my experience. I will go with sand on my new tank just because I like the look.

Great! I will be removing some today.